A Doll's House is a play in three acts by the Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen, first performed in Copenhagen in December 1879. Nora Helmer, apparently a carefree wife, hides a secret debt taken on to save her husband's life. When the truth comes out, she realizes she has lived like a doll, and makes a decision that shocked Europe.
The story
Years earlier, Nora secretly borrowed money to take her sick husband Torvald on a journey to Italy, forging her father's signature. She has been paying it back in secret.
Krogstad, the lender, who works at Torvald's bank, threatens to reveal everything if he loses his job. The crisis shows Nora how Torvald really sees her.
The final scene
In the last act, Nora calmly tells Torvald that she has been treated as a doll, first by her father, then by him, and that she must leave to discover who she is.
The play ends with the sound of the front door slamming as she goes, one of the most famous endings in theatre.
A scandal
The ending was so controversial that, for a German production, Ibsen was asked to write an alternative ending in which Nora stays for the sake of her children. He later regretted it.
The play became a landmark in debates about marriage and women's rights, though Ibsen said he was writing about human freedom in general.
Anecdotes
A real case
Ibsen based the story partly on Laura Kieler, a young writer he knew, who had secretly borrowed money to help her sick husband, with unhappy consequences.
The macaroons
Nora secretly eats macaroons that her husband has forbidden. This small detail of the first act shows how he treats her like a child.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Nora?
The heroine, a wife who has hidden a secret debt.
Where was the play first performed?
At the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen, in December 1879.
How does the play end?
Nora leaves her husband and children, slamming the door.